Winter Range

I always say you can tell a lot about a person by the way they treat their horse (and you can tell a lot about a man by the way he drives his truck). I came across this herd over in Arbon Valley, the next valley West of the Portneuf Valley, just a hop over a mountain pass from where I live. I don’t know how I ended up in Arbon Valley yesterday except I was driving my truck, I had country music playing on the radio, the dogs and my ski gear in the back, the world was covered in fresh snow and dappled with springtime sun — I felt like seeing some country so I did a little wandering on the blue highways. When I saw this posse of horses out on their winter range, I pulled off, grabbed my camera and made some friends.

As I walked to the fence, they picked their heads up from grazing, looked at me from a far, and then the leader began to walk to me — an old swaybacked paint with wind woven dreadlocks in his mane. One by one they wandered over, sweet and curious, eager to exchange scent with me. They nosed my pockets for treats. Let me rub their cheeks, press my cold hands beneath their wild, tangled manes as they draped their heavy heads over my shoulders. I touched the softness of their muzzles and fell into the pools of their kind eyes. These horses have a good cowboy and cowgirl. I can tell.

I can’t even put into words how much I love these photos, especially the 2nd and most definitely the 3rd (I had to share that one with Nate’s Aunt, who has a sweet old boy of 34!).
They surely do look like they have a good cowboy and cowgirl!
xo

Oh my god. Okay. Now I want ALL OF THESE on my wall. Especially the close up of the b&w one! Dear Lord, each image makes my heart swoon and squeeze. It might burst. That’s right. You’re giving me palpitations. OF LOVE!! (faint)

Ditto what Catherine said… If you ever decide to sell prints of your work, count me in. I love especially the 3rd, 5th and final photos. Those horses move my soul – and that’s even seeing them thru the computer, thru your lens, thru your eyes – thrice removed! Beautiful. You capture so much deep-souled life in your photographs. Thank you so much for sharing with all of us! Makes my city-life cabin fever ebb a bit.

I am a feather on the bright sky
I am the blue horse that runs in the plain
I am the fish that rolls, shining, in the water
I am the shadow that follows a child
I am the evening light, the lustre of meadows
I am an eagle playing with the wind
I am a cluster of bright beads
I am the farthest star
I am the cold of dawn
I am the roaring of the rain
I am the glitter on the crust of the snow
I am the long track of the moon in a lake
I am a flame of four colors
I am a deer standing away in the dusk
I am a field of sumac and the pomme blanche
I am an angle of geese in the winter sky
I am the hunger of a young wolf
I am the whole dream of these things
You see, I am alive, I am alive
I stand in good relation to the earth
I stand in good relation to the gods
I stand in good relation to all that is beautiful
I stand in good relation to the daughter of Tsen-tainte
You see, I am alive, I am alive

Such beautiful animals they are! A while back a lady I came across on the street while walking my dog told me that she can tell by my dog’s presence that he has a very loving home. So I agree with you about these horses having a good cowboy/girl.

Born in a canoe,
under the aurora borealis,
somewhere in the heart of the Canadian North.
Raised by wolves.
Bison soul.
Bareback rider.
Sagebrush gleaner.
Ponderosa pine tree hugger.
Currently residing in the North Cascades
of Washington and the
Rocky Mountains of Idaho.
Gregarious Hermit.
Camera, pen & paper,
metal & stone.

I LOVE MY SMOKEJUMPER

Unless otherwise noted, all original photography, designs, or text are copyrighted and property of Jillian Lukiwski and are not to be cited, reproduced, or used elsewhere without written permission from the artist. Thank you.